GASTROINTESTINAL RATHER THAN GYNAELOGICAL.?

the last few days have had pressure against diaphragm and feelign the need to go has increased.btu have had this off and on for ayear,altho i have bloatign as everyone calls it =i dont have bloated feelign as one gets when theyve eaten too much.what i do have is a swollen abdomen.i have never had any of the signs mentioned -no constipation diarrheoa cramps.

IBS is called The Great Pretender because it x an mimic many symptoms. Some people have loose stools with IBS, some have constipation diarrheoa . Others have pain, gas, cramps, bloating.(bear in mind my gp had never actually mentioned to me IBS-this was put in a letter and if it is why has he never given meds for it.)

this article says gastrointestinal rather than gynae.recent oscopies only show inside of colon /oesophagus nto outside of them havent had ct scan fro 2 years+??

Both PTC and FTC are usually diagnosed when a woman sees her doctor complaining of abdominal swelling and bloating. As described above, the symptoms of either cancer are more commonly GASTROINTESTINAL THAN GYNAECOLOGIC IN NATURE These symptoms are related to the accumulation of fluid, also known as ascites, that commonly occurs with either cancer. Gastrointestinal symptoms also occur because seedlings of tumor often line the peritoneal surface (the outer lining) of the intestines, a process called carcinomatosis. The omentum, an apron of fatty tissue that hangs down from the colon and stomach, often contains bulky tumor, described as omental caking. Although omental cakes can be detected on a physical exam, they frequently are subtle and difficult to detect. When a woman is found to have fluid in the abdomen (ascites), the usual first step toward a diagnosis is a CT scan. This is a special type of x-ray test that allows doctors to assess the entire abdomen and pelvis.

1)abdominal pain

pain in pelvic area or belly that feels very different from normal indigestion is indicative of OC. most people complain of abdo pain that has persisted for longer than 2 weeks and wasn't associated with diarrheoa.etc

(2)persistent gas nausea or other gastro intestinal issues like heartburn are common and persistent .

(3)causes abrupt loss of appetite that is normally out of character for the person affected.

(4)frequent bloating or gas in belly and pelvis that doesn't go away is another sign.if your abdo bloat is so much that your clothes don't fit around your waist suddenly and without food or activity changes .

(5) urinary problems-being overwhelmed by sudden urge to urinate as well as going more often than usual is a sign.-include bouts of incontinence which worsen over time.

(6)feeling full quickly-in more advanced stages the cancer can sit itself on the surface of the stomach-on the omentum or on intestines.causing a patient to full very quickly when eating.

(7)changes in bowel habits.occur when an O tumour swells and puts pressure on stomach bowel and bladder.

(8)lower back pain.persistent achy dull pain in lower back is a common sign.

(9)losing weight without trying.

i can associate with and numbers which apply to me.1 2 3(sicne 2005)4 5 6/7 ( do have persistent pressure on stomach and bladder)9 have lost weight in past without trying 8 do have low back pain -that could be curvature btu could be both.

[Pippins2]

Anbuma , I dont believe uou want to have cancer but that you are absolutely terrified despite reassurances that you do have it.I am going to risk your wrath here and say yes you seem to have some painful condition going on I am not doubting that but as far as OC you have chronic health anxiety. I know how much you love your dogs and worry about what would happen to them if you died and THAT I think is the cause of this anxiety. Do you think that could be the root cause of it?

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

I am not saying I have it.i am concerned .all i am saying is i have same symptoms.anyone who knows me knows taht i have had a battle to get any diagnosis from my gp or fro him even to acknowledge me.I have had in the last two years a persistent cough,choking and difficulty swallowing ,swollen tongue and swelling from neck to feet,nasal sores and bone growth which ENT gave me no diagnosis for and i still have them.and all ive got from him is i cant feel anything or its your stomach which tells me nothing.i have had support from many members on here and its a shame i don't get support from my gp.i ahve told my gp.i am reassured by some people on here who ahve been a great support and know what im goin thru from experience.but not by my gp because of his non acceptance of what i tell him.my recent diagnosis by a different gp could have been discovered two years ago if mine had accepted what i was telling him. .as i have said IBS was never mentioned verbally but only in writing to DWP. and i have not ever complained of any bowel problems-no constipation diarrheoa or cramps and my bowels have always been normal..they have not covered all possible casues.my stomach ballooned after i had my gallbladder removed and i told this to my gp -said nothing.yet others who have had the same have had swelling as a result.

I have had poor appetite for several years just suddenly stopped eating -feeling full after a few mouthfuls.i always had a healthy appetite -having double helpings of xmas dinner and then struggling to eat a small meal and it has never been accepted that i have lost weight elsewhere despite my weight increasing (abdominal).all ive ever tried to do is get answers ,even this other gp ive seen said i got some of the answers i hadnt had and he'd get to the bottom of my problems.

the odd thing is i have never had real pain associated with diverticulitis or duodenitis.the only area of real pain was top of my stomach which turned out to be hiatus hernia.i do get a lot of heartburn which i treat with OTC meds.i do feel sore in some places around my stomach .the worst i have now is pelvic bone pain and pressure along my diaphragm.my stomach is rock hard around my navel.

i am not stressed and it is not that my dog is picking up on.everyone has bad days and she has been like the way she is a lot longer and all the time -which wouldnt be the case if it was down to me having a bad day.

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

Hi

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

Hi bethanie.are you new to this forum? I haven't seen your name before or talked to you.if you are then you won't know the battle I've had with my gp to get a diagnosis.each to their own opinion but as some other members replies to me say they also have had battleswith their GPS to get answers.I have had problems since 2011 when after beign diagnosed with fibro in 2005 and things beign fairly stable until 2011 when hit with a whole host of new symptoms. That's when everything I told drs was not accepted and I turned elsewhere to get answers-here and on the internet. My recent diagnoses could Have been diagnosed two years ago if I and been taken seriously instead of beign told everything was in my head and my gp beleiving me when my ENT letter stated its not sinuses which was not the problem and rheumy only concerned with my weight and diet and not why I was referred and not his dept.no support from gp even tho it was him that referred me and he never diagnosed a sinus probelm.

[Pippins2 in reply to Hidden]

Hi ,yes I am new! Sorry you are having such a hard time,I hope you are able to get a diagnosis and treatment soon.Good luck

[Hidden in reply to Pippins2]

Thank you Bethanie.everyone's support is great ly appreciated.

[Hidden]

all im saying is other conditions cant be ruled out,.babs was told she had a bowel problem which it wasn't .two tv doctors have said on national tv how difficult it is to detect certain conditions -and bloods aren't 100% reliable.i know that for a fact as according to gp test my lowest was 37 and according to hospital test my lowest was 15 for the same period.so they said it isn't OC from a CA125 test with different results but at that time i didn't know that this test could also be fro other conditions.

[Hidden]

sorry have to correct you there.i have not had "countless "scans as you put it,i had ONE NHS ultrasound on my ovaries and other organs ie kidney and liver.these detected a fibroid .bone irregularities can only be detected by CT scan which I haven't had for 2 years.re my recent diagnoses I have never had any pain in the area of my colon where diverticulitis etc were discovered,only the area where hiatus hernia is,the only abdo pain is around my navel and that is sore not painful.the article states swelling and bloating of abdomen could be ascites which is only detectable by ct scan.i said I could associate with the symptoms as listed ie have them for whatever reason.i am not obsessed.want answers which my gp hasn't given me and as there are several possibilities fro a swollen abdomen they have not all been considered.i knew Babs who was continuously beign told her OC was a bowel condition.my gp may have carried out tests but he based things on previous scan not considering that my stomach problems occurred after I had them and he didnt investigate /acknowledged my symptoms .

I ahev also had had my cough choking swallowing probs fro over a year and he dismissed these on the basis that "he couldn't feel anything".only I can feel my pain and a gp should accept that .and no one has accepted that my weight gain is all abdominal and not down to diet

[earthwitch]

I definitely wouldn't be wanting a CT scan. CT scans contain enormous amounts of radiation (equivalent to about 200 xrays), so shouldn't be used routinely. The first thing would be an ultrasound which is much safer, and which it sounds like you have already had. If that hasn't shown up any ascites or unusual masses, then I think you can rest assured that your diagnosis of IBS is actually correct and you definitely don't have cancer. There are many other clues to cancer as well, that your doctor would have looked for (including in routine blood tests), so again, I doubt whether cancer has been missed.

[Hidden in reply to earthwitch]

if ca125 test for OC is not reliable as can be negative for other reasons.teh fact that it was raised suggested a problem somewhere.

[Hidden]

Yes but ultrasounds dont show bone irregularities so a more in depth scan would need to be done.or maybe an xray.?my pelvic pain could also be due to the tape I had inserted to support my pelvic floor muscle,have put this to gp and he spoke to gynae about it but no physical examination to rule it out

[Hidden]

Hi All ,just lost my post so it may appear again somewhere else.took dogs out this morning tho not far,in pain from time i got up-pelvic and diaphragm,got home sat to watch last nights Casualty,felt fuzzyheaded and cannot tolerate pelvic pain.so only option is to sleep it off.slept from 9.30 to midday when woken by dogs Annie on my bed and Buster whining to go out.,

How can I have faith in NHS when all I get told is its you stomach,.i don't know what it is,i cant feel anything.when I once asked him about copies of my notes the response was "if its not anything sinister".all i have ever wanted is answers.he wont even consider anything .I have had no support re misdiagnosis from ENT and no support from rheumy who didn't let me explain how things had been for me between times I had seen him.

I know when I see my gp on Thursday he wont even consider anything I say.

[Hidden]

for info i have accepted these recent diagnoses .he dismissed my cough,swallowing probs ,choking episodes etc. they would have been discovered sooner if he had listened to me .the gp who arranged the oscopies said he would get to the bottom of what had been causing my symptoms for the last two years and having them is not necessarily cause for swollen abdomen which my own gp has put down to diet-he never accepted that weight gain of 3 stone is all abdominal.

maybe because my gp wouldn't acknowledge anything told him or fob me off by saying things like its your stomach and I cant feel anything.etc.it doesn't matter how many scans ive had in the past new symptoms would warranty further scans.its the fact taht he assumed it IBS as never complained of IBS SYMPTOMS and besides there are several causes of a swollen abdomen.at one time a gp would investigate thru all possible avenues now its just a blood test regardless of symptoms.its nothing to do with accepting diagnoses and it s not to prove anyone wrong .it s to get answers.my gp is at fault cos he didnt accept what I was telling him .

the above bit about IBS mimicking other conditions was posted by another member-not me.and as for the list of symptoms I only said I can associate with most of them.

another note-in fibroaction-incompetent doctors.they aren't always right.

[lausa]

Go your GP and ask for a smear if you're so worried about OC.

But also, pretty much most symptoms, if you try hard enough, can fit most diseases. I have half of those symptoms that you listed and I've been to a gynae consultant who said he thinks it's nothing sinister, and if I'm still concerned to have a smear test done.

I do think that you need to start trusting your doctors a lot more, you seem very paranoid that the worst is happening to you. I think your problems are what the doctors say, you just have anxiety and maybe other psychological issues underlying and making you feel worse? For example, the swallowing thing is a common sign of anxiety.

Also, I'd suggest at looking at many articles, not just one that focuses on OC. Look at others about gastro problems and you can see how much of them overlap in signs and symptoms and scans.

[Hidden]

hello Lausa.i have just had a smear-the first one in years but smears only for cervical cancer are they not?im sorry but you dont know the full history with my gp so cant say i need to trust them and i dont like being prejudged by someone who doesnt know me. i am NOT paranoid or anxious .i know my body and re your comment "i suggest looking at other articles ".i have read up on everything not just OC

it is known taht IBS can be mistaken for other conditions ,OC being one of them and it s been said on national tv by two doctors that OC is difficult to detect and mistaken fro a bowel condition and Babs was proof of that.

i feel you cant say this for one you dont know me and what i have gone thru over the last 2-3 years.as i ahve said since i joined HU and as i have always maintained to my gp and to my forum friends ,my weight gain is all abdominal(3 STONE) and lost weight elsewhere and no dr has accepted this or that my appetite rapidly diminished suddenly 7 years ago and i only eat breakfast and one small meal .only takign my total body weight into account and so tellign me Im obese when if it wasnt for my stomach i would be a normal size 12.MY GP has assumed its IBS as i have never had constipation or diarrhoea nor any cramps thta go with it. and he never verbally said to me IBS.i only found this out when i got a copy of a letter he sent to the DWP.if i did have IBS then he has never prescibed anything for it

as there are several reasons for a swollen a stomach ,he never considered any other cause.and it is unprofessional for a gp to "get angry".i bet you would not like to be told "its your stomach" "i cant feel anything "when it comes to pain.only i can feel my pain and a gp should accept if i have pain somewhere.

I ahev many friends on here who are supportive and who ahve the same problems with doctors.

yes i ahev those symptoms -8 out of 10 i can associate with,and htye may be something else,btu until a gp takes me seriously .i will not give up tryign to get answers-not only for swollen abdomen but my swellings and skin rashes which are clearly visible to anyone.

if my gp had listened then i wouldnt have suffered for the last two years cos he failed to detect my recent diagnoses.